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I made this cake for my sister’s birthday last summer and watched three grown adults fight over the last slice. That’s when I knew this recipe was a keeper.

This cake started as an experiment. I had leftover coconut cream from another project and a bag of pistachios that needed using up. Sometimes the best recipes come from cleaning out the fridge. The combination of earthy pistachios with bright tropical flavors creates something that tastes way more fancy than the effort involved.

The texture is what gets people. It’s dense but not heavy, moist without being soggy. The pistachio flavor comes through clearly without being overpowering, and the coconut adds this subtle richness that ties everything together.

What Makes This Cake Work

The secret is grinding the pistachios properly. You want them fine enough to incorporate into the batter but not so fine they turn into butter. I learned this the hard way after making pistachio paste instead of pistachio flour one too many times. A food processor works best here, but pulse in short bursts and check frequently.

Coconut cream (not coconut milk) is essential. The extra fat content keeps the cake moist for days. If you can only find coconut milk, refrigerate the can overnight and scoop out the thick cream that rises to the top.

When to Make This

This cake works for birthdays, potlucks, or honestly just a Tuesday when you want something special. It’s sturdy enough to travel well and actually tastes better the next day once the flavors meld together.

I’ve brought this to office parties, and people always assume it came from a bakery. The green tint from the pistachios makes it look impressive without any complicated decorating.

How to Store It

Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’re adding the glaze, wait until you’re ready to serve since it can get sticky in humid conditions. You can also refrigerate for up to a week, just bring it to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

The cake freezes well too. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then foil, and they’ll keep for about 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 200g raw unsalted pistachios
• 180g all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 170g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 165ml coconut cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• Zest of 1 lime

For the Coconut Glaze:

• 120g powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp coconut cream
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut, toasted (for topping)
• Chopped pistachios for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. You want a texture similar to almond flour. Stop before it turns into paste. This takes about 15 to 20 pulses.
3. Whisk together the ground pistachios, flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
4. Beat the butter and sugar together with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Don’t rush this step.
5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Mix in the coconut cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lime zest until combined.
7. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing on low speed just until combined. Overmixing makes the cake tough.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles.
9. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should be golden and spring back when pressed.
10. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
11. For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, coconut cream, and lime juice until smooth. It should be thick but pourable.
12. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Top with toasted coconut and chopped pistachios.

Notes

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment makes creaming the butter much easier, but a hand mixer works fine if you have patience. The batter is thicker than a typical cake batter because of the ground pistachios, and that’s normal.

If pistachios are expensive where you live, you can replace up to half of them with almond flour. The color won’t be as green, but the taste is still great.

For a dairy-free version, swap the butter for coconut oil and use full-fat coconut cream throughout. The texture changes slightly but it’s still delicious.